There are plenty of flaws with the way the Bruins’ roster is formulated.

In the post-expansion, salary-cap-restricted NHL, every club has its weaknesses.

But one thing that has obviously gone according to plan for Boston this season — despite the assorted struggles of Marc Savard, since his return from post-concussion syndrome, and David Krejci — is that they’ve been covered at center regardless of injury or illness.

It’s a plan the Ottawa Senators might’ve been smarter to follow coming into this season. The Sens land at TD Garden for tonight’s game muddling through a five-game win-less streatk (0-3-2), with all those games occurring after an injury knocked star center Jason Spezza out of the lineup. In fact, the Sens, 27th in the overall NHL standings heading into tonight’s action, are 3-5-2 this season without Spezza. Even with Spezza in the lineup for all but those 10 games, Ottawa has struggled to muster much offense and ranks 29th in goals per game (2.21).

The Bruins (13th in goals per game at 2.83), on the other hand, were able to weather lengthy absences by both Savard and Krejci. Without Savard in the lineup, Boston was 13-8-2 this season. Without Krejci, who was out with his own concussion while Savard was still on the sidelines, Boston compiled a 4-3-0 record. Basically, the Bruins’ depth up front — particularly at center — helped them stem the tide.

When you’re able to plug in veterans Patrice Bergeron and Gregory Campbell, and No. 2 overall pick Tyler Seguin as your top three centers due to injury to others, you can keep your club afloat for at least a ittle while. And that depth can also help when a player or two is in a slump. Krejci has recorded just one point in his last seven games. Savard is now point-less in three straight. But Bergeron, and last night in Pittsburgh Campbell, can step up and provide just enough punch for the Bruins to earn wins and points and sit atop the Northeast Division.

That’s why the Bruins had no qualms about drafting Seguin despite their depth at center, and had no problems investing long-term in Savard last winter and Bergeron this fall.

The Bruins have built their team up the middle, so to speak, from the goaltender out to the centers. So in as much as they’ve been able to get by when a pivot or two has had to sit out, the Bruins’ philosophy has worked. Tonight they’ll try to keep it going against a club that hasn’t managed to make due without its No. 1 center Spezza.

I may be in the minority, but Wheeler for Kovalev would be a poor decision in my book. I think Wheeler has taken significant steps, and I’m rooting for him to move to the pivot (another example of Bs centermen depth) so that Bergy can move up a line and play wing. To me, that’s a better move than picking up Kovalev. Unless/Until we get a new bench-boss, this club will remain D-first.

word is that Ottawa’s star, Alexei Kovalev, is available for trading. although I don’t really see him fitting well in Boston, I have to say that trading straight up for Wheeler, even just to rent him for a few months, would be worth it. we’re not supposed to see him play tonight, but, although he has lost most of his passing and scoring finesse, Kovalev still skates and stickhandles like he did in NHL ’94 (“EA Sports; It’s In The Game”), making him of value for a team that struggles to maintain puck control during transitions and line changes. I’m not declaring that the Bruins need to make this happen — another team might offer more for Wheeler and there may be better players available as acquisitions — but tell me this doesn’t look like an upgrade: